My Struggles, and Then I Fly Away
David Richardson
Oakwood College The First Experience As mentioned previously, my first full-time job was as an instructor in chemistry at Oakwood College in 1967. In 1967, I had recently completed a master’s degree in organic chemistry from Purdue University, and Dr. Emerson Cooper wanted to employ me at the College. I married Hazel Mayes in 1966, and we accepted the position that paid approximately $6,800.00 for a twelve-month contract. In those days, to receive your full salary over twelve months, you had to work during the summer as well. I worked in the library during the summer of 1968, and I taught trigonometry during the summer of 1969.
I taught nursing chemistry, organic chemistry, and
analytical chemistry during the 1967-68 academic year, and I taught atomic physics, nursing chemistry, organic chemistry, and analytical chemistry during the 1968-69 academic year. Those teaching days were far different from college teaching today. For example, I taught courses that were not a part of my academic training. This didn’t distract from doing an excellent job in the classroom.
I put my heart and soul into the summer 2
trigonometry course. We studied important concepts taught in trigonometry during the sixties. We learned trigonometric functions; identities; laws of sine, cosine, and tangent; Euler’s formula; and much more. Teaching students in those early days was a genuine joy. The students had a strong desire to learn. I taught a student who later became a good friend. He was in my atomic physics class.
One day he overslept.
I went to the
dormitory to make sure that he came to class. Such an action would be unheard of in a college course today! The two-year hiatus between my master’s degree and the commencement of my doctorate studies were relatively uneventful. My son, David Jr., was born, and Hazel and I led a relatively austere existence. One of the few things we had that could be considered extravagant was our SS-396 Chevy. I accelerated my timetable for the next step in my graduate education because of an unfortunate event. I can talk about this now because most of the participants involved have since passed. 3
The College asked me to attend a conference in New Orleans that took place during the 1969 Mardi Gras season with a few faculty and staff members and a very talented student. For anonymity and confidentiality, I will not reveal the identities of the participants, except to say that they were influential college people. The trip from Huntsville, Alabama to New Orleans, Louisiana took about seven hours. We arrived in New Orleans without incident, and we had a productive series of meetings. We had a limited amount of free time to visit the Mardi Gras festivities. I found a comfortable spot to view the activities when I noticed out of the corner of my left eye, an influential staff member holding the hand of the talented student. The staff member was married, and I made the unfortunate social faux pas of allowing the New Orleans’ trysters to know that I saw them in a compromising situation. We left New Orleans in the evening, and during the long return trip, I drove part of the way. When it was my time to drive, I noticed considerable pressure on the rear of my seat as if someone was attempting to stretch out his or her legs. The movement was so distracting that I inadvertently drove in the wrong direction. It was too late when I realized my mistake, and I drove over a concrete barrier. The underside of the car was slightly damaged. 4
We arrived in Huntsville, Alabama without further incident; however, I made another major social faux pas. I confided in another faculty member about what I had observed between the influential staff member and the talented student in New Orleans. This person didn’t keep my secret, and the alleged observation rapidly spread throughout the Campus. That was an embarrassing situation for me, and the incident helped accelerate my decision to pursue my doctorate studies. I packed our meager belongings, sold the SS 398, purchased a much smaller vehicle, and drove westward for a new and exciting academic adventure. I didn’t realize that the influential staff member and the faculty member who I confided in were diametrically opposed to one another in multiple ways. After I left the Campus, those two individuals got into arguments that escalated into major confrontations. My confidential disclosure to the faculty member resulted in Board intervention; however, I was not available as an eyewitness, because I was almost 2,000 miles away. Three years later, the College forgot the issue or ignored it upon my return after I completed my doctorate. There is an important lesson learned from that experience. Gossiping leads to untenable issues. 5
Eyewitnesses must verify the story. Also, if you have an issue with your brother or sister, you should bring that issue to his or her attention rather than passing the information through a third party who will, in turn, pass it to others until it escalates into an uncontrollable and unmanageable situation. God clearly gives us directions about gossiping and guidelines about spiritual disciplining. Paul says in Ephesians 4:29 (ESV), “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” The mechanism I used to disseminate information was not used for good but used to create disruption and chaos. The proper approach to this issue is described in Matthew 18:1517 (ESV), “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
My
responsibility should have been to approach the influential staff 6
member without fear and inform him of my suspicions. I created an unstable situation that was eventually stabilized by my unavailability to escalate the developing problem.
A private
conversation with the principle participant or participants might have nipped the issue in the bud! This was a valuable lesson learned but acquired in a convoluted manner. If there was a positive outcome of this unfortunate and bumbling situation, then it would have been the decision to remove me from the environment by enrolling in a dynamic academic program. The fact that I enrolled in a graduate program resulted in the acquisition of my doctorate. The aphorism that “God works in mysterious ways� was apropos in this case. God blessed me even though I initiated a confusing and complicated process that led to wagging of many tongues. The equation I shared with you earlier about the inextricable relationship between the spiritual, social, intellectual, and physical factors has another form, where . I formulated the equation after I took one of E. J. Plummer's courses. E. J. Plummer flew away into the arms of Jesus many years ago. He 7
was an education professor at Oakwood College. The equation, based on a simple concept, has four variables. Professor Plummer, a committed bachelor, frequently quoted from Ellen White, the last of the Advent prophets. One of his famous quotes was education "... is the harmonious development of the physical, mental, and spiritual powers..." I used key elements in her quote to develop my equation. If the components of the equation are equal and the coefficients are equal than the theoretical growth percent, G, would be 100% for a perfectly developed human being. No one walking the planet is perfect; therefore, a "G" percent between 80%-95% is as close to perfection on earth for a well-developed individual. People grow and with the maturation of people, institutions grow. Oakwood College (now Oakwood University) from 1961 to 2020 exhibited remarkable transformations. The Chemistry Department was no exception. The Department has exhibited remarkable growth with the acquisition of outstanding faculty. The faculty serving students increased by more than 500%. The Department hired faculty with expertise in diverse chemistry disciples. In 1961, a single faculty member taught every chemistry course to a handful of students. Of that handful, only one pursued a career in chemistry with the others pursuing 8
careers in medicine or paramedical fields. At this writing, six faculty members comprise the Chemistry Department and each member of the Department teaches chemistry courses in his or her specific discipline. Also, more students pursue careers in the sciences with many continuing to pursue careers in medicine and the paramedical fields. Presently at Oakwood University, a physical chemist teaches physical chemistry; an organic chemist teaches organic chemistry; an analytical chemistry teaches analytical chemist; and a biochemist teaches biochemist. Dr. Cooper did an amazing job as Department Chair; however, in this dispensation of modern chemistry, knowledge and research have exploded; therefore, college chemistry professors must be trained and prepared to teach and conduct research in their specific disciplines. The broad field of chemistry requires diverse talents to adequately prepare students for the world of tomorrow where they enter the College to learn chemistry and depart to help others improve their lives through the knowledge and research acquired in their disciplines. This is true regardless of their career aspirations because chemistry is the pathway to diverse professions.
9
Oakwood College The Second Experience My Major Professor, Dr. Terry Alger, wanted me to do a postdoctorate, and then apply for a research position at a prestigious institution. I was committed to returning to Oakwood College where I could use my newly acquired degree to teach future young scientists and pre-professional aspirants. I love chemistry, and I wanted to ensure that the Oakwood College Chemistry Department would have a strong current curriculum. I didn’t want students to encounter some of the obstacles I faced due to an incomplete/inadequate preparation. In August 1972, I returned to Oakwood College with a strong determination to provide a pedagogical approach to chemistry that would represent state-of-the-art information found in a modern organic chemistry course.
For instance, the third period of
development of organic chemistry involves the use of modern instrumentation for separating, analyzing, and the structural elucidation of organic compounds. I wanted to develop a pedagogy that would assist students in studying, understanding, and interpreting modern techniques of spectrometry including mass 10
spectrometry, infrared spectrophotometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, and UV-visible spectrophotometry. The College omitted these important topics in my baccalaureate curriculum. Also, I wanted to teach a more rigorous physical chemistry course instead of the one-semester watered-down version I had when I was an undergraduate student at the College. I wanted to teach a modern course in instrumental analysis rather than the traditional qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis courses that the Chemistry Department taught for years. Dr. Emerson A. Cooper headed the sciences and the Chemistry Department for many years. He allowed me to have the leadership of the Chemistry Department; whereupon, we focused on applying for research grants, adding state-of-the-art instructional scientific equipment to the Department’s inventory, and improving the course curriculum. Students were my highest priority, and we worked assiduously to ensure that our students left the institution with excellent chemistry backgrounds. Most of our students decided to pursue careers in medicine or other paramedical careers. I had many students who did exceptionally well as chemistry majors, and they were able to complete their career aspirations. 11
Few students pursued careers in the sciences. One female student, Yvonne, became an editor for the American Chemical Society. Another student, Milton, became a research chemist with a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama, Birmingham and an MD from the University of Virginia. He presently is the Director of the Drug Discovery Program at Georgetown University. He holds highly prestigious
positions
in
the
Departments
of
Oncology,
Neuroscience and Biochemistry at Georgetown. Dr. Brown asked God for wisdom, and God gave him the wisdom to develop research approaches to the syntheses of potentially effective pharmaceuticals. Doctorate and post-doctorate students from the four corners of the earth have joined his research team. Oakwood science students enthusiastically pursued their dreams. They departed the Institution with a determination to be successful, and as such, Oakwood College science graduates have been amazingly successful in their selected careers.
I feel truly
connected to their success stories. During my second stay at Oakwood College, my third child, Christopher James Richardson, was born.
12
Kentucky State University A good friend and colleague, Dr. Donald F. Blake, decided he wanted to take a position as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Kentucky State University (KSU). He needed a Chair for the Department of Mathematics and the Physical Sciences. KSU was my initial introduction to teaching in a non-Adventist institution. In addition to my administrative duties, I taught a course in organic chemistry. The students were not as committed to their academic pursuits as the students at Oakwood College. I had a female student from Africa. She had a B average in the course when suddenly she stopped attending lectures and the laboratory sessions. I searched for her, and when I found her, she said, “I fell in love, and my boyfriend left me; therefore, I didn’t want to study anymore�. Her statement flabbergasted me! Furthermore, I could not get her to return to class; subsequently, she failed the course, because of her emotional involvement with another student. I encountered some excellent and conscientious students during my two years at the University. These students, analogous to many of the Oakwood College science students, pursued graduate careers that led to distinguished careers in the sciences, engineering, and medicine. 13
Many of the KSU science faculty were engaged in research. Dr. Emerson Copper was given a substantial stipend as a postdoctorate fellow with a KSU chemistry faculty member. This was a one-year arrangement. I invited Dr. Cooper to stay with us because we had plenty of space available in our home despite having three children. Dr. Cooper decided to stay in his place he found in Frankfort, and every weekend, he commuted to Huntsville, Alabama to spend time with his family.
Our running
joke was that when you entered the Frankfort community, you entered the nineteenth century. In many ways, parts of Kentucky appeared to have a nineteenth-century mentality rather than a twentieth-century mentality. Kentucky, a commonwealth state, was an interesting place to live. I had difficulty acclimating to the Kentucky way of life because my heart was still in Huntsville, Alabama. Oakwood College was the center of my life since 1961. It was the place where I had my first college experience, and it was the place where I had my first teaching experience. Oakwood College was my southern home, and it was difficult adjusting to a different environment. I thought the KSU President was somewhat distant in his relationship with the faculty and staff. Also, I thought that the 14
methods the department heads used for merit pay distribution was self-serving and inequitable. I wrote a National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant similar to the one that Dr. Donald Blake, Dr. Timothy McDonald, and I wrote for Oakwood College. By the way, the amazing thing is that the NSF grant we wrote for Oakwood College in the seventies still exists at Oakwood University. We initiated a grant that brought millions of dollars to the College and that funding continues. The NSF grant at KSU was successful, and we designed a science learning center that was directed by a young man named Jeff. I recruited Jeff from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He worked closely with me when Al, the young man I went to the dormitory to wake up, asked me to spend a summer working in his pre-engineering enhancement program for minority students. Al had become a successful coordinator of Engineering initiatives since he left college and received his master’s degree. Al and his wife, Diane, were truly a gracious couple. They provided a room for me during my stay at the University of Wisconsin. They were an amazing couple with two children. Unfortunately, some years later, they got a divorce, and Al married a woman who became a university president. 15
One of my female students introduced me to an influential contact at Dow Chemical, and he was able to secure a summer position for me within the Organization. The summer experience was very fruitful and led to an offer to spend an entire year in a rotating position at the Dow facility. I wanted to leave KSU after two years, and Dow presented the opportunity, but I had previously interviewed for a position in the Chemistry Department of Loma Linda University, La Sierra Campus. The interview went well, and, in 1979, I accepted a full professorship at Loma Linda University, La Sierra Campus.
16
Loma Linda University La Sierra Campus Students on the La Sierra Campus of Loma Linda University were competitive. The work at the University kept me busy; however, the students were very conscientious. I got the distinct impression that La Sierra students focused on receiving the highest possible grade with the least complicated approach to understanding the principles and concepts in my courses. I had that perception because, at that time, nothing was more important for La Sierra pre-med students than their interest in obtaining coveted seats at the prestigious Loma Linda University Medical School. I met some exceptional students at Loma Linda, and many of them distinguished themselves in their desire to work assiduously toward their career aspirations. In 1982, La Sierra University was a campus of the prestigious Loma Lind University, and for the most part, faculty members were collegial and available to students. The Chemistry Department embraced its esprit de corps to function primarily as a pre-med mill. The School of medicine accepted large numbers of La Sierra students into its Medical 17
School, and the Chemistry Department felt obligated to accommodate the overwhelming need of students to obtain seats in their associated Medical School. The roll call of worthy students is far too numerous for me to enumerate, but I felt that I helped many of these students successfully realize their career goals.
For example, a black
student from Phoenix was told by a faculty member that she did not have the intelligence to pursue medicine as a career and that she should consider another career. One thing I learned in my teaching career is not to discourage students, but to encourage them. Help them find ways to improve their study habits, and where there are weaknesses, help them resolve their weaknesses. Also, accentuate their strengths. The student, from Phoenix, was particularly discouraged, because the system didn't support her in her attempts to pursue her dream career, and, as a black student matriculating in a highly competitive majority-white college, she didn’t find much encouragement by her white professors. The white professor's comments diminished her self-esteem and smashed her dreams.
Another black student from California
discovered the student crying on the steps of the Science Building. She introduced me to the Phoenix student, and like her city’s name she rose from the ashes. She transferred to my general chemistry 18
class, and her grades soared. She completed her medical doctorate at a popular midwestern university. I spoke with another black student from New York a little too late. This student didn't take my chemistry course, and when I asked about her, someone told me that she withdrew from the University and that she had returned to New York City. My heart went out to the student, because, during a conversation with her several months earlier, she told me that she was a fifteen-year-old child prodigy who finished high school two years ahead of schedule with a 4.00 GPA. Needless to say, she missed her parents who were thousands of miles away. They sent her to La Sierra because they thought her chances of getting into medical school would be favorable if she attended a church school with an associated medical school. Students need nurturing and mentoring, and they are more than numbers on class rolls. It's unfortunate when teachers accentuate the talents of the bright students and ignore the needs of the struggling students. The La Sierra faculty didn’t function as loco parentis for this young lady. This fifteen-yearold apparent out-of-place student received little support and attention. She failed most of her pre-med courses, and she withdrew from the University. I felt particularly sad for this young coed and it was too late for me to intervene on her behalf. 19
Many faculty members didn’t show compassion for students experiencing difficulty. The students were so competitive that many minorities who didn’t measure up were left behind. I wanted to support those students; therefore, my office was available to any student who needed help. I recall one incident when the Department Chair scheduled a standard faculty meeting. I was in the middle of tutoring a student who was experiencing difficulty comprehending a few concepts. I was late for the meeting, and the Department Chair came to my office, and said, “I want you at this meeting immediately!” His tone was condescending, demeaning, and angry. I considered his attitude to have been so rude that I refused to attend the meeting. In the spirit of collegiality and unity, I later apologized with anticipation that I would receive equity and respect during my tenure at Loma Linda University, La Sierra Campus. The University administration was sympathetic and empathetic to an issue created by a bad renter who rented my Frankfort, Kentucky property. I wanted to liquid the property and focus on my work at La Sierra University.
20
The University wanted me to remain as an employee; therefore, they went the extra mile to help resolve the problem created by the Frankfort renter who had refused to pay the rent for months. The bank didn’t contact me until the renters were six months in the rear. Upon discovering my dilemma, the University helped me resolve the problem created by the renters and the Kentucky bank. If memory serves me correctly, the University gave me approximately $2,000.00, without any strings, to help address the unfortunate situation created by our delinquent renters.
The
University gave me the money without any stipulations, i.e., the two thousand dollars were disbursed as a gift. I was appreciative of the University's generosity and kindness. This act demonstrated that the University made every effort to address faculty issues and equity concerns. I formed some long-lasting friendships at La Sierra. Drs. Leon Higgs and Cordell Briggs became life-long friends. Dr. Higgs, many years later, became my brother-in-law when I married my second wife, Alma. One interesting observation I made about Loma Linda University (La Sierra Campus) was that there appeared to be a disconnect between the Main Campus located in Loma Linda, California and 21
the La Sierra Campus located in La Sierra, California. The two Campuses are approximately twenty miles apart, but there appeared to be very little connectivity between the two sites. We never had joint meetings, and we rarely communicated with comparable departments on the two sites. For example, a female friend from Utah had a nursing conference on the Loma Linda Campus.
She called the Biochemistry Department, and the
response she received was, “We don’t have anyone by the name of David Richardson on staff’. You would have thought that they would have a list of names of faculty members in the Chemistry Department on the La Sierra Campus. I did not discover that she was in California until I called her husband a few years later. In 1984, Oakwood College, a Sister Institution of Loma Linda University (La Sierra Campus), asked me for the third time to join its faculty.
22
Oakwood College The Third Experience The family arrived in Huntsville for the third and final time in August of 1984. The third experience would be a brief two-year stint. I arrived as Chair of the Chemistry Department. Oakwood College students, as usual, were still ambitious and excited about learning. What I particularly enjoyed about teaching at Oakwood College was the honesty, genuine sincerity, and spirituality of the students. The students had strong desires to pursue careers in the medical and para-medical fields, but they wanted to learn for the sake of learning. Unlike the La Sierra Campus students, the Oakwood College students, though interested in para-medical careers, were interested in learning and not using Oakwood College as a vehicle to get the maximum grade to get into medical school.
The
Oakwood students were spiritual, hard-working, and dedicated to being truly connected to the set of learning prescriptions outlined by the Chemistry Department. In all my years of teaching and leadership, I think, unequivocally, that the students at Oakwood College were the best students I ever taught! 23
I developed a broad teaching portfolio during my approximate fourteen years of teaching in diverse colleges and universities. Nevertheless, I felt the need for a broader educational experience outside Adventism. I wanted to have a laboratory experience at Stanford University under the direction of Dr. Oleg Jardetzky. Dr. Jardetzky pioneered the use of nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry for investigating protein dynamics in living systems. I requested a non-remunerated position in Dr. Jardetzky’s laboratory working with his post doctorate students. He sent me a positive reply, and I asked Oakwood College for a leave of absence to pursue a research initiative related to protein dynamics using magnetic resonance spectrometry. Also, I was experiencing some difficulty with my first marriage. My Marriage was in difficulty, and I accept full responsibility for the emerging schism that developed between me and my first wife, Hazel. I felt that my wife was not supportive, and her attitude and language toward me contributed to some personal discomfort. I used the Stanford University opportunity as a period of separation. In hindsight that is an ineffective way to address problems. I packed a few belongings and abandoned my family for ventures unknown. At the time, I had a self-contained vehicle that could substitute for sleeping 24
quarters as well. I hugged my children and proceeded west for an adventure in Dr. Jardetzky’s laboratory. I received an unexpected offer from Riverside Community College on my way to Jardetzky’s laboratory. I had a close friend, Richard (Dick) Webley, who lived in Riverside, California. Dick insisted that I stay with him while in Riverside. I accepted his invitation, but I needed to make some money during my stay in California; therefore, I visited an old friend who was the Dean of Natural Sciences at Riverside Community College (RCC). I reasoned that a summer RCC teaching opportunity would supply me with sufficient finances to sustain me during my postdoctorate experience in Dr. Jardetzky’s laboratory. The RCC Dean of Natural Sciences scheduled a Chemistry course for me to teach; however, the class canceled due to insufficient enrollment. RCC was fiscally frugal in managing their courses. If a class didn’t have a minimum of 20 students, then the class would be canceled. Students would be encouraged to register for other 25
sections. Twenty was the magic break-even number that made the class financially viable. He then said, “We have a faculty member who is at the Max Planck Laboratory in Germany”. He continued, “We would like for you to substitute for him for the 1986-87 academic year.” He said, “Is that something you can do for us?” I had set my heart on a research experience in Jardetzky’s lab, and I did not want a diversion. The RCC money looked invitational, and I needed to pay bills and support the family in Huntsville. After considerable thought, I acquiesced to the Dean’s request. I called Dr. Jardetzky and asked him could I postpone my visit for a year. He agreed, but I became so involved with RCC that I never got the opportunity to work at Stanford University.
26
Riverside Community College In 1986, I became a faculty member in the Riverside Community College (RCC) Chemistry Department. My colleague faculty worked together in a tight collaborative manner. I learned an enormous lesson about the importance of faculty connections and the exchange of ideas and thoughts. Unfortunately, my move to Riverside, California would signal the end of almost two decades of marriage with Hazel Lolita Mayes. At first, it was a separation that lasted another half-decade, then my wife filed for divorce based on irreconcilable differences. However, my naïveté, abandonment, and inappropriate behavior are the actual reasons for my separation from Hazel Mayes. I do not know why I was so unhappy. Perhaps my unhappiness revolved around my Pollyanna version of marriage and life. I was searching for something that did not exist. Some would say that I was having a mid-life crisis. One person commented, “He needs to grow up.” But in fact, I observed people who were extremely close to me live their lives in misery because they were unhappy in their marriages. They were constantly bickering and appeared to be miserable in their decaying years. Their health deteriorated, 27
and waves of negative events contributed to a steady decline in their auras until there was only a tiny spark of life remaining. What was mysterious is that their spiritual lives appeared to remain intact while their earthly lives deteriorated. Another troubling incident occurred when I was sitting at a lunch table in Oakwood's cafeteria. An elderly stranger approached me, and he identified himself as a retired minister. He told me that he and his wife had not shared the same bedroom for years. I do not know why this stranger shared such a private issue with me, but it made an indelible impression on me that some people who are unhappy in their marriages continue to live miserable lives until death overtakes one or both of them. My question was, “How can anyone adequately prepare for heaven when they have such negative thoughts and miserable lives�? I did not want that to happen to me; therefore, I reached out in various directions seeking any ray of happiness. I longed for those teenage high school days before my valuable learning experiences at Oakwood College when Janet was my source of happiness. I attempted to find that same happiness with others, but the efforts were temporary and the itch that created the void remained unsatisfied. It appeared that every effort resulted in addressing the 28
needs of those who were only interested in some unidentified personal agenda and not a symbiotic relationship for the future. In some instances, some issues would have resulted in irreconcilable differences. It was as if I was reaching for that continually elusive proverbial utopian experience, but utopia is in heaven, not on earth. The reality is that there are earthly marriages that do set up small utopias that point the way to the inevitable greater Utopia that will come. I ask God, Hazel Lolita, Kymberly Dawn, David Jr., and Christopher James to forgive me for the disruptions I caused, and any hurts that might have followed. Riverside Community College was my escape. I immersed myself in a new adventure that was less attractive than my planned activities in Dr. Oleg Jardetzky’s laboratory. RCC provided the financial resources that would help me address the monetary concerns of my family in Huntsville, Alabama. The work was not challenging since I only had to teach two courses with their associated laboratory sections. Teaching at Riverside Community College (RCC) was like a vacation. 29
Nevertheless, my teaching experience at RCC allowed me to reflect on multiple aspects of my life. I truly had fun with the students. My students were different from my Oakwood College students, my Loma Linda University students, and my Kentucky State University students.
RCC
students had a lot of preparation to do before moving on to baccalaureate degrees. Therefore, I felt the need to water down the material. Nevertheless, I had some conscientious and wellprepared students as well. For example, I had an Asian student who did not speak a word in class. I later discovered that he did not say anything because he spoke very little English. Nevertheless, he received scores of nearly 100% on all his examinations. He could not understand what I was saying during my lectures, but he took incredible notes, read the text, and developed a clear comprehension of the principles and concepts in the course. He had amazing abilities to interpret and interpolate what I wrote on the blackboard.
This Asian student’s
determination to succeed while he was learning English is a testimony to what students can do if they put their minds to reaching the highest goals attainable and not just acquiesce and embrace minimums. I truly enjoy students who reach for the stars 30
and do everything conceivable to accomplish their best regardless of any obstacles that might try to impede their progress.
Many
students who speak English do not apply themselves as that Asian student did; needless to say, he received an “A” in the course. I remember another RCC student who had language challenges. He had Tourette’s Syndrome, and he freely interjected expletives as a normal part of his daily conversations regardless of when he was articulating technical or non-technical issues.
Despite his
handicap, he was a conscientious and dedicated student, and he excelled in my class. His final grade in my course was an “A”. RCC students were diverse in cultures, ethnicities, learning abilities, and disabilities. Those descriptive personalities are not unusual for a comprehensive community college. Comprehensive community colleges identify and address lifestyles and personalities that truly focus on making students their highest priority. I liked that philosophy and decided that I would focus on teaching in a comprehensive community college. So, I developed a classroom teaching philosophy that would work in a community college. My teaching philosophy included a commitment to creating a teaching and learning environment that targeted students not-self. 31
The philosophy included creating an interactive and dynamic pedagogical approach that motivated students. My presence in the classroom should contribute to the learning environment and must be inextricably linked to a strong desire to help students strive for excellence in chemistry. Also, I believed students should have appropriate academic armamentaria (including quantitative and literacy skills) that would help them realize their career goals. I was in the classroom to help students succeed in their pursuit of excellence by creating: •
a student-centered atmosphere
•
a level of teaching excellence that valued and incorporated the student in vibrant and engaging dialogue
•
an invitational and warm environments that fostered student involvement
I encouraged students to play a contributing role in the learning process, and I wanted students to succeed. Students were my highest priority; therefore, I needed to be available for meaningful dialogue with them about a plethora of topics in chemistry and related topics.
32
My teaching strategies existed to help prepare students for multiple careers, including careers in the natural and biological sciences as well as health-related professions with a pedagogy that focused on: •
the needs assessments of students
•
academic planning of students
•
outcome measurements of my courses
•
interventions that would help students understand concepts and principles
I desired to create vibrant and motivated teaching and learning environments that included: •
developing effective communication with students
•
enhancing students’ critical analyses
•
designing learning prescriptions that would involve student participation
•
assessing students’ work expediently, i.e., minimal delay
•
developing collaborative relationships with colleagues to implement best teaching practices
This philosophy was an integral part of my teaching and administrative career during my pre-retirement and postretirement years. 33
RCC employed me full-time after a very successful one-year replacement for the faculty member who spent a year at the Max Planck Institute. They courted me with a salary that I could not refuse, and the generous salary allowed me to continue to support my family in Huntsville. The Dean of Natural Sciences decided to retire. After three years of a successful teaching career at the College, I decided to interview for his position. administration.
This surprised the College
They had groomed a long-time mathematics
faculty member to replace the Dean. My application threw an unexpected wrench that clogged the mechanism of RCC’s welloiled machinery.
The administration convinced the Dean to
remain in his position for an additional year. The administration recognized that I was interested in pursuing a different direction than just being in the classroom; therefore, they created a new dean’s position for a campus that was under development and had not yet immerged. This was the Moreno Valley Campus. At that time, the physical facilities of the Campus were concepts, i.e., still on the drawing board. Nevertheless, RCC was teaching night classes in Moreno Valley using the classrooms 34
in a local high school. So, the Institution decided to create a dean’s position for the envisioned Moreno Valley Campus. I referred to this position as “the Dean of Dirt”. A very bright and creative female dean, Joyce, encouraged me to apply for the position. I did and successfully receive the position. I realized that this was a ploy of the administration to divert me from my interest in the science dean’s position to the more generalized Campus Dean’s position. I was a pawn on the President’s chessboard. It’s interesting how institutions create plots within plots. I encountered plots within plots at all the community colleges where I worked. I observed that most community college administrators can be cleverly manipulative. They appeared to have ever-evolving plots within plots with their agendas of self-aggrandizement. My assessment of the RCC Administration was that the President had issues of being calculating and controlling.
He was
authoritative and governed his subordinates with regulatory carefulness. He was a visionary, but his language and mannerism 35
with his first reports were colorful and suppressive. His first reports feared to tell him the truth. This is a terrible danger of any presidency whether it's of a small company to the President of the nation.
That’s
unfortunate
and
leads
to
suppressive
administrations. I was not aware of the College President’s unique personality and unusual idiosyncrasy until I became an administrator at the Institution.
Even though I had been a
department chair at Oakwood College and a division chair at Kentucky State University, leadership in a community college was a different kind of animal.
I noticed that certain new
administrators had mentors, but I didn't receive mentorship. I had to learn the process myself. I didn’t know what I was doing! I had very little experience outside of the sciences, and I had to carefully orchestrate the broad responsibilities of a Campus Dean - even if it was the Dean of Dirt! Fortuitously, my wise secretary, Tracy, guided me through the various processes required within the sleepy Moreno Valley community. jewel.
Tracy had Hawaiian ancestry, and she was truly a
She knew the ins and outs of the Moreno Valley
community. Her assistance was invaluable. I enjoyed working with her and working in Moreno Valley.
My immediate
supervisor, Dr. Frank Budd, was an extraordinary leader. I had 36
great respect for him. I admired his leadership skills, but the President of the College greatly influenced him. In my opinion, the College President was Machiavellian. I learned a great deal from Dr. Budd’s no-nonsense meetings. He was salient, and he meticulously followed College policies and procedures.
My
experiences with him gave me a new perspective of college administrators. The President's influence on Dr. Budd's ability to be an effective administrator surfaced at another time in another academic institution.
I was in the “Dean of Dirt’s” position for one year, when Joyce was Provost of the Moreno Valley Campus. The Campus was under construction, and Joyce was the supervisor over the new facility. I was her Campus Dean. Everything was going well, and then Joyce was asked to be one of the vice presidents of the College.
The Provost position was vacant because the vice president had unexpectedly resigned. This left a vacancy for the Moreno Valley Provost position, and to my amazement, the College asked me to assume that role. This meant that I would be reporting to the College President. 37
This reporting mechanism turned out to be problematic for me. I blindly accepted the new role without realizing that it would be a titular assignment! Again, an example of a plot within a plot. The President was not happy when I went to one of the prospective contractors for clarification of an issue that was unclear. As I look back on this situation, I do not blame him for his disappointment. You see, I went to the contractor’s office for clarification when I should have had the contractor come to my office. The contractor prevaricated when the President asked him what had transpired at the meeting. He said that I agreed with his recommendations when, in fact, I went for information only not for approval. Nevertheless, he construed my presence in his office as approval. Also, he invited me to receive clarification of his proposal. I felt manipulated and used. My mistake was that I argued with the President rather than carefully listening to his issues. My response to the President was, “What do you want, blood from a turnip!� I consulted with Dr. Budd and he said I made an inappropriate statement to the President. He said my behavior was inappropriate and that I behaved condescendingly. Dr. Budd was one administrator I loved and respected. I knew his advice was correct, but a little too late. I had issues with others receiving mentorship and the little mentorship I received. Perhaps that was my 38
punishment for wanting a position in the Institution that the College targeted for another. By the way, the mathematics faculty member received the Dean of Science position the year after I received the Dean of Dirt’s position. The President invited me to an overnight retreat with his other first reports. The overnight retreat was on the evening of my birthday. It was boring and he spoke authoritatively and oppressively to his first reports. He surprised me, and his decision to keep his first reports hostage for an entire evening. I thought that was unconscionable! I thought that sometime during the marathon overnight retreat that the President would take a moment to recognize my birthday. He did not! The President was notorious for conducting marathon retreats. I think that such unnecessary retreats/workshops are counterproductive. Also, they took valuable time from work assignments and family time. After the retreat, I decided that I no longer wanted to be this President’s first report. I went to his office and told him since I was interim and in a titular position that I would not apply for the permanent position. I would be returning to the classroom. He enthusiastically accepted my resignation. After spending one year in the RCC classroom, in 1992, I took the Dean of Science and Humanities position at Salt Lake Community 39
College. By that time, I was anxious to leave southern California for a new adventure, and northern Utah appeared to the perfect place to go.
40
Salt Lake Community College Dr. Frank Budd, Vice President for Academic Affairs, left RCC to assume the presidency of Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) in Salt Lake City, Utah. He left RCC the year I returned to a faculty position. One of his immediate responsibilities during his first year as President of SLCC was to fill a vacant dean’s position. Previously, I had worked very closely with Dr. Budd to recruit several faculty and administrative positions for RCC.
He
remembered that experience and sent me the Position Announcement for the Dean of Humanities and Sciences at SLCC. He thought that I would pass the information to people around the country I knew. I saw “Sciences” on the Announcement and thought that would be an ideal position for me. I liked Frank and wanted to work with him, and knowing him, I think he may have had a plan in his mind. The position would report to another dynamic administrator, Dr. Ann Erickson. I applied for the position, went through the extensive interview process, and was offered the position. Dr. Budd never interfered with the process. He patiently waited for the successful candidate 41
to emerge.
That candidate happened to be me, and he was
delighted to finally have the opportunity to speak directly with me. My selection as the Dean of Humanities and Sciences was a turning point in my life as an administrator. My decision to accept the position led to multiple years of joy and delight working in a comprehensive community college that truly put students first. In 2007, I officially retired from SLCC as the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Since my retirement, I have returned for three interim appointments: the Dean of the School of Business, the Dean of Libraries, and the Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. In 2018, I worked for the College in an interim capacity as the Interim Dean for the School Humanities and Sciences. My years at SLCC were cordial, collaborative, and effective. I worked very closely with the faculty, my colleague administrators, and staff members to progressively move the College forward. I would submit that SLCC became a premier world-recognized community college, and I would rank it high among the nation's community colleges. I began my tenure at SLCC with a very capable Administrative Assistant, Gay Whetman. My third son, Christopher James, was 42
living with me in Riverside when I moved to Salt Lake City. We left California rather late because we were attempting to rent a condo in Grand Terrace before we left. We successfully rented the condo to what I thought would be a promising and responsible candidate but turn out to be an unreliable lessor. I drove all night because I had an early morning meeting on Wednesday, July 1, 1992. Christopher slept the entire trip. Our van was at capacity with clothes and other personal items. We arrived in Salt Lake City around six in the morning. I found a motel where Christopher could get some sleep, and I rushed to Dr. Ann Erickson’s meeting. The eight am Meeting on July 01, 1992 was in a College building that no longer exists on the Taylorsville/Redwood Road Campus of the College. I was sleepy, but I didn't want to miss any of the agenda items. So, I forced myself to be as alert as possible during that initial staff meeting with the Vice President and her three deans (Dr. Geoffrey Brugger, Dr. Michael Homer, and Elwood Zaugg); the director of the Skill Center, Paco Salazar; and the Director of the Applied Technology Centers (ATC) in the secondary school systems, Bo Hall. Bo Hall and Paco Salazar were no shows for that meeting. They were no shows in most of Ann’s staff meetings. So, it was a meeting with the four Deans.
Geoffrey was an outstanding 43
Continuing Education Dean. Michael was the very capable Dean of the School of Business, and Elwood was the dynamic Dean of the School of Applied Technology. That left me, the Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences. The School of Humanities and Sciences was a rather large School with most of the College’s transferable programs housed in it. The initial meeting was an eyeopener because it gave me insight into the challenges and issues facing the College. I learned important lessons throughout my leadership roles; however, one vital point I learned was that administrative assistants are the most important positions in offices. The administrative assistant can make or break the office. When I was interim provost position at RCC, I hired an administrative assistant who consistently hid requests for meetings. Since she was the first point of contact in the office, and she didn’t make me aware of meeting requests; consequently, I missed important meetings. Her ineptitude became problematic over time and created major issues for me and the College. She appeared to be an intelligent woman, but her lack of organizational skills, office decorum, and inability to understand her role as primus contact diminished the effectiveness of the office. On the other hand, Gay Whetman was the antithesis of that 44
RCC administrative assistant. Gay was efficient and effective. She understood the importance of being the primus contact. She made sure that I received all messages and requests for meetings regardless of what she deemed as their level of importance. She had incredible organizational skills. She was consistently pleasurable when dealing with the diverse groups within the College and the surrounding communities, and she made every effort to contribute positively to office decorum and its important functionalities and multiple responsibilities. I was grateful and pleased to have inherited such a dynamic administrative assistant. On many occasions, I told her that she should receive my salary and I should receive her salary. I truly believed that she should receive a much higher salary. She was overworked and underpaid. Gay was a faithful and dedicated worker for me twice. In my role as Dean of Humanities and Sciences, I inherited her. After a few years, she took a four-year hiatus to give birth to and raise her fourth child. She returned to the workforce in a different capacity but later rejoined my office staff. She was my administrative assistant when I retired as Academic Vice President. In between Gay’s two tours of duties with me, I was careful not to repeat the same hiring mistake I made at RCC. I hired two administrative assistants who were as efficient as Gay. They were Samantha and 45
Kristy, and they were amazingly effective administrative assistants. Analogous to Gay, they understood their roles as primus contact, and they made the office run as efficiently as possible. I owe my successes as a dean, executive dean, and vice president to the amazing talents of Gay, Samantha, and Kristy. I heard that Samantha was involved in a terrible automobile accident many years ago and that she resides in a vegetative state. I was sad to hear that disturbing news. She had remarkable abilities and outstanding talents. The accident removed an incredibly talented person from the workforce but, more importantly, from her family. Kristy ultimately took a position as the President’s Administrative Assistant. She exhibited amazing skills and talents. She had the golden touch. I understand that she settled finally into a career as a freelance writer, and that position was the realization of her career dream. She was a skilled writer and editor. At this writing, Gay is the Administrative Assistant for the Provost. She exudes incredible talents, and I am continuously grateful for her services to the College, in general, and to me, specifically. The administration of my School was particularly challenging. My School exhibited several instabilities and inconsistencies. The School had three division chairs who reported to the Dean. The 46
Division Chair for the Humanities was mistrusting of the President. The Division Chair for the Social Sciences was an interim, and the Division Chair for the Sciences was jealous because he was not awarded the Dean’s position. He disagreed with the Administration’s decision that the Dean should possess a doctorate in a related discipline within the School. I had a private conversation with each division chair, and I attempted to assess their strengths and weaknesses. I felt that the Division Chair for the Social Sciences needed some permanency. She proved to be a loyal employee and a dedicated division chair.
Later in our
relationship, she exhibited a medical issue and had to take a short leave of absence. However, we did not replace her or even appoint an interim. She recovered from her illness and was able to resume her work after she recovered. She was an impressive employee, and she loved her job. So, I did everything within my power to make sure that she would have her job when she returned. There was only one time I thought she was insubordinate, but that was during the time she was ill. She made a derogatory statement about my intelligence when I wouldn’t agree with something she wanted. She was ill at the time, and I completely ignored her comment. Other than that one incident, she was a model division chair. 47
On the other hand, the Division Chair for the humanities was disturbingly problematic. She referred to the President in a very negative and derogatory manner.
To my amazement and
consternation, she referred to the President as, “a bald-headed dictator”.
That was inappropriate, and it was clear that she
wouldn’t be an advocate for the President’s agenda to move SLCC into the twentieth century. President Budd was determined to make SLCC a premier community college. So, he executed a variety of processes that would take the College in that direction. I am not saying everything he did was perfect, but he did a masterful job with most of his changes executed with collaborative decisions.
He was particularly adept at communicating with
legislators. He wanted to radically improve a variety of things within the College’s infrastructure.
He was well adept at
improving the faculty’s compensation package. Faculty compensation was an issue for many years. Students should be the highest priority of colleges and universities. Faculty, in collaboration with student services, must serve as the focal point for their teaching and learning environments. 48
However, at SLCC, faculty members were under-compensated for many years for their services to the students and the community. That problem in the College’s academic infrastructure was a primary focus for Dr. Deneece Huftalein, the current College President. At this writing, faculty compensation is equivalent to faculty salaries at peer institutions on the local and national levels. Kudos to Dr. Huftalein for addressing that issue. It was under Dr. Budd’s administration that the agreement with the Union Pacific Railroad led to a partnership in the construction of the Science and Industry Building. It was under his administration that the College added a modern state-of-the-art Library on the Redwood Road/Taylorsville Campus. It was under his administration that the College purchased and renovated the old South City High School to its inventory of vibrant sites within the Wasatch Front community. Today, the South City Campus has partnered with the Salt Lake City School District to add the Innovative Early High School to its Campus. That partnership has helped provide an outstanding teaching and learning center for area students It was under his administration that the College expanded its sites with the addition of the Larry H. Miller Entrepreneurship Campus. Those were just a few accomplishments under Dr. Budd’s leadership.
RCC thought that it had a premier continuing
education program. SLCC had a School of Continuing Education 49
that was superior to any school of continuing education at any comprehensive community college in the United States including the continuing education program at Riverside Community College. The Division Chair for the Humanities failed to fully cooperate with Dr. Budd’s burning desire to provide students with an outstanding teaching and learning environment. She appeared to be focused on herself rather than on what was good for the College. The division chair organizational structure was ineffective. Division Chairs had to reapply for their positions every five years. This archaic model was ineffective in creating stability within the divisions; however, the process allowed me to make changes when the review process surfaced. I took the opportunity not to renew the Division Chair for the Humanities position.
The faculty members in the School of
Humanities shared concerns and verbal disappointments when they discovered that I decided to replace their Division Chair. The faculty highly regarded that individual, but few were aware of her insubordination.
50
I initiated the hiring process for a new division chair for the humanities. Faculty members within the School refused to apply for the position. A staff member who had a master’s degree in one of the disciplines in the Division of Humanities applied for the position, and I had little choice but to select him to lead the Division. The faculty realized that I was serious about replacing the existing division chair; therefore, they asked to meet with me. After consulting with Dr. Ann Erickson, I decided to interrupt the hiring process and meet with the faculty. Ann advised me to be as casual as possible. I took Ann’s advice because I wanted to be as informal and comfortable as possible when I met with the faculty in the Division. It was a Friday afternoon when I met with them, and I dressed casually for the occasion. The faculty and I had cordial discussions concerning the leadership of Humanities, and we eventually reached an understanding that could help resolve the Division’s issues. The faculty asked, “Can we restart the hiring process?” “We promise that some of us will apply for the position”. I said, “Yes”. 51
There was one dynamic member in the department that I was certain would be an effective division chair. Her name was Pat. I said to Pat, “Would you be willing to apply for the position?” She said, “Yes”. I was happy to see that several faculty members within the Division applied for the chair’s position when I re-initiated the hiring process for a division chair. Hiring at the College involved the formation of a search committee (primarily comprised of members within the discipline of the new hire).
The search
committee would then send a minimum of three names to me, and I would make a decision that would be sent to the Academic Vice President for final approval. Pat was among the three names submitted by the Search Committee. After interviewing the three candidates, I presented Pat’s name to the Academic Vice President. Pat was selected to lead the Division of the Humanities, and she turned out to be an amazing division chair.
The Division of Humanities was in great hands, and
Humanities to this day, under the nomenclature of the School with 52
a Dean, has done a remarkable job in offering educational opportunities for its students. Dave, who had a master’s degree, lead the Science Division. He was unhappy when I became the Dean for the School of Humanities and Sciences. He had difficulty understanding that in the absence of a doctorate his limitations inhibited his abilities to lead humanities and sciences. I recall one incident where Dave made a decision that would have cost the College a great deal of money. We had a very capable person, Steve, who was essentially ahead of his time with knowledge of computing systems. Steve wanted to build all the computers used by the College, and, within a reasonable timeframe, he could accomplish that task. Dave supported him in that endeavor and requested that the School of Humanities and Science approve this costly project. I rejected the proposal because I thought it would be an unwise decision to place such a project on the shoulders of one individual even though that person was brilliant and possessed the skills to do incredible, innovative, and amazing things with computers. The project could have received approval if Steve had a team of experts like himself who wanted to engage in such a magnanimous venture. Dave was not happy 53
with my decision. Several months after rejecting the proposal, Steve had surgery for something related to Crohn’s disease. Unfortunately, he did not recover from the surgical procedure. We were extremely remorseful for the loss of this very talented, dynamic, and creative young man. However, if we had agreed to build the College’s desktop computers without the appropriate knowledgeable infrastructure, then we would have been left with a plethora of scattered computer parts throughout the various sites of the College and many faculty would have been without desktop computers. Dave approached me years later and thanked me for my leadership of Humanities and Science. President Budd decided to leave the College in 2000 after an incredibly successful nine-year tenure that catapulted SLCC into national recognition. I am certain that Dr. John Roueche, the founder and leader of the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas at Austin, lauded the work that Dr. Budd did at Salt Lake Community College. The students, faculty, and staff were much better off as a result of his advocacy for maintaining the colleges 54
standing as a premier comprehensive community college education. His years of leadership were formidable, but health issues demanded that he live a less stressful life. He purchased a home in Morgan, retired from academia, housed his beloved horses, and participated in those activities that continue to give him joy and comfort. Some people are difficult to replace, and Dr. Budd was among that ilk. Who would be able to step into the shoes of such a dynamic leader? There were two academic vice presidents during Dr. Budd’s presidential tenure. Dr. Budd inherited Dr. Ann Erickson, a long time SLCC employee who had been employed at the College initially as an adjunct faculty member and retired as the Academic Vice President.
She was truly a dynamic, conscientious,
dedicated, and committed College employee. There was a disturbance in the faculty related to some disagreements between the faculty and Dr. Budd. His mentor, Chuck Kane, the former RCC President recommended that he fire Ann because she was a candidate for the presidency when he applied for the position. Unfortunately, Dr. Budd used the faculty unrest issue to implement Chuck’s recommendation. I thought that was a huge mistake. The deans were not privy to the details 55
surrounding the circumstances of President Budd’s negotiations of Ann’s retirement. At the end of the 1996 academic year, Dr. Ann Erickson retired as SLCC Academic Vice President. She did not want to retire, and, unfortunately, the deans were unaware that the President was using Ann as a scapegoat. Consequently, they were not in a position to advocate for her. The College published a Position Announcement for the Academic Vice President’s position. After an appropriate search process, Dr. Budd selected an individual who was authoritative and not wellliked by the faculty and staff during her nearly seven years of service at the College.
Ann was a more formidable, more
insightful, and more effective academic vice president than her replacement. Dr. Budd had mentored a very capable individual, Richard Rhodes, then the Business Vice President, to follow in his footsteps. Richard had vision, humor, charisma, and people skills.
He
interviewed for the presidential vacancy left by the retirement of Dr. Budd. The less visionary Board of Regents (BOR) selected an individual who was self-focused, deceptive and exhibited characteristics of a charlatan.
Dr. Budd’s replacement could 56
magically manipulate the English language, and he convinced the BOR and College Trustees that he could perform miracles with computer technology. Though Richard was my pick, the BOR was convinced or manipulated by Dr. Budd’s replacement’s elegant articulation of his claim to have the ability to take the College, technologically, into the twenty-first century. I was on the Search Committee that sent his name along with Richard’s and another candidate to the BOR. The BOR decided to select the alleged technology guru to replace Dr. Budd’s leadership of one of the most prestigious comprehensive community colleges in the United States. Geoff, my colleague and friend, came to my office following the new president’s inaugural address. He informed me that the new President had plagiarized his inaugural message. So, Geoff was the first person to see through his facade. The new president used an example that illustrated that outside appearances could be deceptive. He removed his very nice suit jacket to reveal a white shirt that had badly tattered sleeves. This was a demonstration that you cannot always discern the value of a commodity by its outer appearance. You need to peel back the outer layer to see if there are viable inner layers. In retrospect, his 57
demonstration was simply prescience of himself at the College, and I would add, symbolic of many community college presidents. The new president looked at the College as a mechanism for making money. He entered into deals that he thought would increase the profit margin of the College. He radically altered the academic structure of the College by eliminating the dean’s structure and creating an organization that would ultimately make him a chancellor. He divided the College into three regions- the northern region, the central region, and the southern region. The College, at that time, had approximately thirteen sites. The northern region included the famous Larry H. Miller Entrepreneurial Campus, the Central Campus included the Redwood Road/Taylorsville Campus, and the southern region included the South City Campus. The deans had to apply for new positions -the positions of Executive Deans. The president’s assistant, a very shrewd and Machiavellian person, applied for and received the leadership of the Entrepreneurship Campus. Geoff, the most creative and innovative Dean of Continuing Education I have ever known, applied for, and received the leadership of the South City Campus.
I applied for and
received the leadership of the Taylorsville/Redwood Road Campus. These campuses also had auxiliary sites under their 58
administration. Elwood maintained his dean’s position over the applied technology programs, and John maintained his dean’s position over the School of Business. The new structure appeared to be somewhat vague with no clear delineation of reporting mechanisms with clear lines of authority. The executive deans were thinking one way and the vice presidents were thinking another way. The President had created chaos; however, I think his modus operandi was to intentionally create chaos. As previously mentioned, the responsibilities and authority under the executive deans were vague, and, perhaps, in many respects, elusive on multiple levels. Every aspect of the new organizational structure had conflicts. The executive deans should have had authority over their designated campus, but, in reality, the executive deans had minimum authority. I recall one incident when the executive deans asked to meet with the Business Vice President. The meeting ended in disaster, confusion, and anger. The President had accomplished his desire to create a chaotic organizational structure. The College under his administration experienced a corkscrew spiral decline where morale rapidly decreased. The President outsourced Institutional Technology, 59
and a rumor ensued that he received kickbacks from the company that invaded and captured the College’s computer technology department. Many College employees lost their jobs, and the turmoil that sprung from outsourcing computer technology initiated his demise at Salt Lake Community College. The President unveiled himself by deciding to close a major campus during the 2002 Winter Olympics. The location of South City Campus is proximally in downtown Salt Lake City. Downtown Salt Lake City was a beehive of Olympic activities. The decision to close South City Campus was a ruse to allow a fundamentalist religious group to surreptitiously meet and develop strategies to proselytize their fundamental beliefs in the capital city of
Latter-day Saints.
The fundamentalist group exposed
themselves to serious criticism by publishing pictures of their activities on the Internet. This incident unmasked some of the motives of the President and revealed his inept leadership abilities. The proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back was the President’s deception with the Board of Regents and the College’s Trustees in manipulating them into approving the purchase of thirteen planes for the Aviation Department.
60
The President’s interest in aviation was the catalyst that immersed the College into millions of dollars of debt. The financial problem exacerbated when the Aviation Department blindly agree to reimburse the College for the purchases knowing that the Department’s budget would be in the red for many years. This situation ultimately led to the demise of the flight program at the College and degraded the Aviation Department to just a ground school program. The President had a love for aviation, and the Aviation Department faculty members allowed his charisma to manipulate them. Also, the President was an accomplished pilot, and he used College resources to take his plane on personal trips. The BOR was particularly concerned about the purchase of an office building he made in downtown Salt Lake City. The building had multiple structural issues. The price tag on the building, the exorbitantly high price tag for computer technology, and the questionable circumstances surrounding the purchase of the airplanes gave the BOR great concern. The Board decided to terminate the President’s contract. The faculty and staff rejoiced when he left the College, but the College was in an internal mess. 61
The Board asked Judd Morgan to be the Interim President of the College. He had a mild-mannered personality, and he worked assiduously to heal the rifts, bridge the gaps, and reverse the financial catastrophes that resulted from the former president’s fiascos. President Judd Morgan decided to eliminate the executive dean’s positions, he negotiated with the Academic Vice President, who had lost her leadership of the faculty under the former president’s administration, to retire, and he developed a plan for the Executive Dean of the Entrepreneurship Campus to exit the College. It was under Judd’s administration that I became the Academic Vice President of the College. For some inexplicable reason, most of the deans were unwilling to apply for the position. I applied, and it was my time to assume the role of the top academic leader of the College. I decided to reorganize the academic structure of the College. I wanted to make the academic units stronger and more autonomous so that the faculty would have control over the hiring mechanism as well as meaningful input into their budgets. At the time I assumed the Academic Vice President’s position, the Interim 62
President wanted to assess the viability of the executive deans' positions.
After assessing the executive deans' position, the
Interim President decided to return to a more manageable arrangement with the old academic dean structure – the Dean of Humanities and Sciences, the Dean of Continuing Education, the Dean of Applied Technology, and the Dean of Business. During the initial months that I was Academic Vice President, I wanted the deans to have broader responsibilities over their academic units. Such a move required critical changes within the College as well as increased shared governance by the College faculty. After collaborative discussions, I modified the academic organization of deans to include the Associate Vice President of the School of Applied Technology and Technical Specialties, the Associate Vice President for General Education, the Dean of the School of Arts, Communication and Media, the Dean of the School of Business, the Dean of the School of Health Sciences, the Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Dean of the School of Science, Mathematics and Engineering. Also, I proposed that the Schools divide into departments with department chairs rather than the existing coordinators' model.
These organizational changes
improved the academic structure of the College. Also, I initiated discussions that led to the replacement of the faculty salary schedule with a more meaningful and fairer merit system for 63
faculty compensation. However, the actual change didn’t take place under my leadership but took years of discussions before the College implemented a viable and acceptable plan. The implementation of the changes moved the College to a different level in the eyes of its fellow comprehensive community colleges. Drs. Joe Peterson, Chris Picard, and Clifton Sanders made additional modifications that were helpful in strengthening the academic programs. Today, the College can truly boast of its national and international premier status under the capable leadership of Dr. Deneece Huftalein. I was a different person than the naïve individual who met with the company that falsely alleged that I had agreed with a modification of the color scheme. I felt confident in the position. I had a sense of direction. I stood on the shoulders of many mentors and administrative giants; therefore, I felt prepared for academic leadership, and I wanted to leave a legacy that would reverberate for many years to come. Dr. Cynthia Bioteau became the eighth president of Salt Lake Community College in 2005. She was a dynamic, articulate, 64
charismatic, and charming leader. However, she also encountered difficulties in her position because of her tendency to be vindictive when subordinates publicly disagreed with her decisions. She fired an inordinately large number of people who worked under her. She started with the Business Vice President who initiated his demise at the College and who set his firing in motion. However, after getting comfortable in her position, she started firing many who appeared to lose their positions because they simply spoke their minds. As you can imagine, this resulted in a decrease in College morale. Even though she exhibited a vindictive personality, I enjoyed my final years at the College under her leadership. It's very interesting to observe the changes in the persona of community college presidents when they acquire a little power. There is a tendency to micromanage and make decisions based on an authoritative structure rather than a collaborative structure. Too often, community college presidents forget that they should trust their first reports and allow them to run that part of the organizational structure that defines their titles. For example, the academic vice president should be primus inter pares over academic issues. The student services vice president should be primus inter pares over student services issues, etc. The president’s responsibility should be fundraising, accountability of 65
all college decisions to appropriate college constituents, and elevating the image and awareness of the institution by interacting with appropriate external groups and partners. I decided to retire after sixteen years of a memorable, enjoyable, and productive career at Salt Lake Community College. Years later, the College presented me with the special honor of Vice President Emeritus. This is a life-time appointment with many privileges including the use of the College’s e-mail system as well as parking privileges.
This is an honor that I truly
appreciate.
66